Suicide Prevention Research & Resources

Building Knowledge. Informing Action. Saving Lives.

National Suicide Data & Epidemiology

CDC - Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
Data on youth mental health and suicide risk behaviors.

WHO - Suicide Worldwide in 2019: Global Health Estimates
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240026643
World Health Organization global report on suicide epidemiology.

Suicide Risk Factors & Protective Factors

Substance Use Disorders and Suicide Risk
Bohnert ASB, Ilgen MA. Understanding Links Among Opioid Use, Overdose, and Suicide. N Engl J Med. 2019;380:71–79.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1802148

Mental Disorders and Suicide: A Review
Cavanagh JT, Carson AJ, Sharpe M, Lawrie SM. Psychological Medicine. 2003 Feb;33(3):395-405.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291702006943

Postvention & Suicide Loss

LOSS Teams and Postvention Best Practices
Campbell FR. The Role of the Active Postvention Model in Healing and Reducing Suicide Risk in Survivors of Suicide Loss. Crisis. 2009;30 Suppl 1:64-73.

AFSP - Suicide Loss and Healing
https://afsp.org/ive-lost-someone
Resource hub for evidence-based postvention resources (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention).

Suicide Prevention Among First Responders & Military

Suicide Among First Responders: A Systematic Review
Stanley IH, Hom MA, Hagan CR, Joiner TE. Clinical Psychology Review. 2016 Oct;44:25-44.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.12.002

Suicide Prevention in Military and Veteran Populations
Reger MA, Smolenski DJ, Skopp NA, et al. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015;72(6):597–598.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2299545

Populations & Suicide

Suicide Risk and Prevention in LGBTQ+ Youth
The Trevor Project National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health.
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/research

Disparities in Suicide Risk by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Haas AP, et al. American Journal of Public Health. 2011 Aug;101(8):e1-8.
https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300302

Means Reduction & Lethal Means Safety

Harvard Means Matter Campaign
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/
Evidence-based resources on the importance of reducing access to lethal means.

Lethal Means Counseling for Suicide Prevention
Runyan CW, et al. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2016 Sep;51(3 Suppl 3):S175-83.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.06.004

Faith-Friendly Suicide Prevention Toolkits & Resources

1️⃣ Faith.Hope.Life. Campaign — National Action Alliance

https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life

✅ Toolkit to help faith communities engage in suicide prevention
✅ Sermon guides
✅ Bulletin inserts
✅ Sample prayers
✅ Event ideas (Faith Hope Life Weekend)
✅ Language guidance on discussing suicide

2️⃣ LivingWorks Faith — Suicide Prevention Training for Churches

https://www.livingworks.net/faith

✅ Online training course designed specifically for faith leaders
✅ How to talk about suicide from the pulpit
✅ How to minister to someone in suicidal crisis
✅ Postvention guidance for churches
✅ Paid course but many SPARK Hubs might find it worth the investment — includes 1-year access and group options

3️⃣ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) — Faith Communities

https://afsp.org/faith-communities

✅ Free download: Faith Communities and Suicide Prevention Toolkit
✅ Talking about suicide in religious contexts
✅ Reducing stigma in faith settings
✅ Resources for survivors of suicide loss
✅ How to create safe spaces for help-seeking

Direct link to toolkit PDF:
https://afsp.org/sites/default/files/pdf/faith-community-toolkit.pdf

4️⃣ Interfaith Network on Mental Illness — Suicide Prevention & Faith Communities

http://www.inmi.us/sp.html

✅ Free resources for interfaith leaders
✅ Suggested language & liturgy
✅ Sample sermons & prayers
✅ Guidelines for responding to suicide death in a faith setting

5️⃣ Action Alliance — National Recommendations for Suicide Prevention Messaging

https://theactionalliance.org/resources/national-recommendations-suicide-prevention-messaging

✅ Best practices for faith leaders and community organizations when messaging about suicide
✅ Helps SPARK and Faith Connect ensure that public messaging is safe, effective, and compassionate

 

📊 Texas Statewide Overview

🌐 East Texas

  • According to 2021 data from the Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative (via the Andrews Center), counties in East Texas report rates ranging from 15 to 30 per 100,000—significantly higher than the state average (~17/100k at that time) kltv.com.

  • As predominantly rural, East Texas experiences the statewide trend of 30–45% higher suicide mortality in non‑metro regions kltv.com.

📋 County-Specific Suicide Rates (Age-Adjusted per 100,000, Latest Available)

- County: Smith; Suicide Rate: 11.1; State Avg (14.4): Below average; Notes & Data Source: Derived from CDC 2019–2023 (kltv.com, cdc.gov)

- County: Morris; Suicide Rate: Suppressed—Low count; State Avg (30.4 combined metric): Includes drug/alcohol & suicide

- County: Gregg; Suicide Rate: 10.3; State Avg (14.4): Below average; Notes & Data Source: CDC 2019–2023

- County: Jefferson; Suicide Rate: 7.4; State Avg (14.4): Well below average; Notes & Data Source: CDC 2019–2023

- County: Anderson; Suicide Rate: 34.5; State Avg (14.4): Well above average; Notes & Data Source: HDPulse (age-adjusted)

- County: Angelina; Suicide Rate: 12.9; State Avg (14.4): Below average; Notes & Data Source: TPCC county data

- County: Cherokee; Suicide Rate: 16.1; State Avg (14.4): Slightly above average; Notes & Data Source: Regional figure (Kaufman/Andrews Center area)

🔍 Interpretation & Context

  • Anderson County stands out with a notably high suicide rate of 34.5, more than double the Texas average—making it a critical area for prevention efforts.

  • Cherokee County, at 16.1, is modestly above the state average.

  • Angelina County is marginally below the Texas average.

  • Smith, Gregg, and Jefferson counties have rates below the Texas average, though they still reflect important community-level needs—particularly for Jefferson, which is substantially lower.

  • Morris County lacks precise suicide data; the combined substance misuse and suicide metric suggests elevated risk (~30.4), likely indicating significant suicide impact.

🧭 Key Considerations

  1. Data Sources & Limitations

    • HDPulse provides age-adjusted county rates (Anderson, Gregg, Smith, Jefferson).

    • Smaller counties like Morris often have suppressed data; combined metrics can signal elevated risk, but exact numbers are unclear.

  2. Data Variability

    • HDPulse rates reflect 2021 data; TPCC data (Angelina) likely ranges from 2020–2022.

  3. Implications

    • Several counties (especially Anderson and Morris) exceed state averages significantly.

    • Smaller population counties require careful interpretation due to data suppression.

📚 Citations

  1. CDC WONDER Underlying Cause of Death Data
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
    https://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html

    • Provides Texas and county-level mortality data, including trends from 1999 to present.

  2. Texas Health and Human Services - 2022 Report on Suicide and Suicide Prevention
    Behavioral Health Advisory Council.
    https://www.hhs.texas.gov/reports/2022/09/report-suicide-suicide-prevention-texas

    • Statewide suicide trends, rural-urban disparities, and prevention priorities.

  3. Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Center for Health Statistics
    https://www.dshs.texas.gov/chs/vstat/default.shtm

    • Texas Vital Statistics reports with age-adjusted mortality rates.

  4. Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative — East Texas Regional Data
    Source referenced by Andrews Center (via KLTV reporting).

  5. HDPulse - Texas Health Data Portal
    https://healthdata.dshs.texas.gov

    • Provides county-level age-adjusted suicide rates and allows visualization of trends by year.

  6. Suicide Trends Among Rural and Urban Residents — United States, 1999–2015
    Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), CDC, 2017.
    https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/ss/ss6605a1.htm

    • Cited for rural vs. metro suicide disparity context.

  7. National Vital Statistics Reports — Final Death Data for 2022
    CDC, NCHS.
    https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm

    • U.S. national suicide mortality statistics and trends.

  8. Suicide Mortality by County — University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings
    https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

    • Cross-check of county-level suicide mortality estimates.

  9. Gregg County and Northeast Texas Suicide Data
    Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, referenced via Gregg County Health District and prior longitudinal studies.

⚠️ Notes:

  • Some county-level data (e.g., Morris County) is suppressed or aggregated (suicide + substance misuse) when counts are low—this is a known limitation in public health reporting for smaller rural counties.

  • The most granular age/gender/race breakdowns for individual Texas counties typically require a formal Texas DSHS data request.

Closing Note

SPARK provides these resources in the spirit of learning and collaboration.

We encourage faith leaders, community partners, healthcare professionals, and advocates to stay informed and engaged with emerging research — because knowledge is power in saving lives.

If you know of additional reputable peer-reviewed resources that should be included, please contact us at: dsteelman@sparkcares.org

Disclaimer

SPARK provides this resource page for informational purposes only.
We do not endorse or take responsibility for the content of external sites or studies.
This page is not intended as medical or legal advice.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911 or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.